Quality or size? RNW June Comment looks at what we should be "rating" for radio.

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2001-08-31: A day for the disciplinarians in North America with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in fining mode and the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) having yet another go at Howard Stern.
In the US, the FCC has proposed a fine of $140000 on Alaskan broadcaster Peninsula Communications Inc. for operating without a licence.
Peninsular was ordered to stop operating seven translators in various Alaskan communities but ignored the order intentionally according to the FCC.
The Commission has also said Peninsula must file an affidavit within 10 days showing that the translators in question have gone off the air, or lose its other full station and translator licences.
The FCC is also, according to Robert Feder's column in the Chicago Sun Times, looking at more complaints against shock jock Erich "Mancow" Muller's show on Q-101.
Feder says seven complaints were filed by David Edward Smith on behalf of his Chicago-based Citizens for Community Values, all concerning sexually explicit material that aired on "Mancow's Morning Madhouse" between March 6 and May 17.
Smith, who has made two previous complaints that led the FCC to fine Emmis-owned Q-101 $14000, included transcripts of the segments with each of his complaints.
Feder says Muller said he was unaware of the complaints, but defended his show as appropriate for an adult male audience.
"We do everything we can to keep within the legal boundaries," he said.
"Any time there's sexual talk going on, we try to have a medical person there."
"We're trying to get information out to adult men in a very frank way. If it gets too shocking, we shut it down."
In Canada, the CBSC acted on two complaints about Howard Stern, one from an individual concerning one episode and one from MediaWatch enumerating examples of offensive programming after a month of monitoring Stern's show on CILQ-FM Toronto.
The complainants expressed concern about sexist and racist comments.
On the allegation of racist comments, the Council decided that a show segment on immigration did not constitute unduly discriminatory comment because it was nothing more than the expression of Stern's political opinion.
It ruled against Stern, however, on complaints, which related to an item on the extent to which a Playboy Playmate was prepared to go to appear on the show and Stern's subsequent "verbal assault" of a call-in listener.
The CBSC panel found that the "suggestions" made by Stern to the manager of a Playmate eager to appear on the Show had gone too far.
It said that "the cumulative effect of the suggestions that the Playmate smell underwear, be rolled up naked in a rug and forced to ride in an elevator, eat a carrot in Stern's lap while she is naked and eat food out of a dog dish while naked is demeaning and degrading in the extreme."
It also found that Stern's treatment of a caller who had phoned in to exclaim her disapproval of the Playmate dialogue also went too far. Stern had reacted, among other things, by suggesting that the caller "eat a taco out of [his] crotch", calling her a "big fat cow", then a "fat, ugly girl who can't get squat", suggesting she had a moustache, accusing her of living in an apartment with cockroaches and so on.
The Panel concluded that "the comments of the host are both racist and sexist. These comments are not borderline. They are extreme."
"They have no place on the airwaves in this country,"it commented.
Previous CBSC:
Previous Emmis:
Previous FCC:
Previous Feder:
Previous Muller:
Previous Stern:
CBSC news release:
FCC ruling:

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2001-08-31: Ireland's Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation (ODTR) claims it has caused no fewer than 36 unlicensed transmitters to go off air in the past several weeks in an unprecedented crack down on pirate radio stations according to a report by Harry Browne in the Irish Times.
These numbers would indicate that most of the country's pirate stations have now been closed (See RNW Aug 10).
The paper says that this "zealous cleansing of the airwaves, the removal of most of the state's radio stations, has been accompanied by little drama, publicity - or resistance."
It contrasts this with the uproar that would have occurred had the state shut down the printing presses of 36 local newspapers.
The approach has been to target the owners of the premises where the transmitters are located, rather than the station operators themselves.
The paper says the ODTR claims that its campaign has nothing to do with the imminent arrival on the Irish scene of more licensed commercial stations, which include dance station Spin FM and country station Star FM, but pirate operators are sceptical about this.
"They point," says the report, "to the fact that the first Dublin hilltop targeted last month was home to - you guessed it - dance- and country music pirates."
The ODTR says it is coincidence but could not "offer an adequate explanation as to why 2001 is the right time to enforce legislation that dates from 1926 and 1988."
The paper says that most people would agree that licensed stations should receive reasonable protection and an even larger number that emergency services should be protected.
"However," writes Browne, "this crackdown goes far beyond such concerns; in fact, before the purge, the busy Dublin FM spectrum had by and large been a good example of people behaving responsibly without regulation. Anarchy in action, if you like."
He also comments on the success of the pirates, noting, "In Limerick, Galtee Radio is widely seen as giving the licensed stations a run for their money - local businesses know it and advertise heavily. (Ludicrously, these advertisers could be liable for prosecution.)"
"It's hardly a coincidence that, as I write, Limerick is the only place where most pirates stubbornly fly the flag."
He also quotes on observer as saying that the money to be made will mean that the illegal transmitters will soon be back from new sites.
Previous Browne:
Previous ODTR:
Irish Times report:

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2001-08-30: Regent Communications has announced a $39.6 million cash deal to acquire ComCorp's seven radio stations in the Lafayette, Louisiana, market.
The stations involved are five FMs -- KMDL-FM, KRKA-FM, KFTE-FM, KTDY-FM and KPEL-FM - and two AMs - KPEL-AM and KROF-AM. Regent says it is to finance the deal from its existing credit facilities and expects to close in the final quarter of this year.
Terry Jacobs, Regent's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "This attractive acquisition marks our entry into Lafayette, the nation's 123rd ranked radio revenue market.
"We are well positioned to create value as this seven station cluster is already consolidated, providing us with the opportunity to focus our efforts on growing revenues and cash flow via programming and sales improvements."
"As a result, we expect this transaction to be accretive in just its first year."
Regent has also announced that it has completed its previously announced $20 million purchase of six stations in the Peoria, Illinois, market from the Cromwell Group (See RNW May 17).
Involved here are five FMs - WGLO-FM, WPPY-FM, WRVP-FM, WFYR-FM and WIXO-FM - and WVEL-AM.
The deal comprised $14 million in cash and $6 million in Regent stock.
Previous Jacobs:
Previous Regent:
Regent web site:

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2001-08-30: UK digital radio consortium MXR, which launched its West Midlands digital multiplex on Wednesday, is to run a two-week promotion campaign on Chrysalis Radio's Midland stations Heart FM and Galaxy. Chrysalis is a member of the consortium and its creative services team has recorded the promotions.
Previous Chrysalis:
Previous MXR:

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2001-08-30: The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) has proposed two new commercial radio services for Tasmania in its plans for the region.
The commercial services, in Burnie and Scottsdale, would be in addition to new community radio services in George Town, the Northern Midlands, Scottsdale and Hobart and an open narrowcasting radio service in Hobart.
In addition, the ABA is proposing to extend the licence areas of community radio services 7HFC Hobart and 7RGY Geeveston.
Previous ABA:
ABA web site (links to PDF of plans):

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2001-08-30: ABC Radio Networks has agreed a deal to syndicate New York talk radio host Sean Hannity across the US from September 10.
Hannity, who airs from 1500-1800 local in New York on weekdays, joined WABC in 1997, a year after he had been brought to New York to co-host Fox TV's Hannity and Colmes show.
He began his radio career in Huntsville, Alabama and then moved to WGST-FM in Atlanta, where his high ratings attracted Fox News' attention.
Previous ABC (US):

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2001-08-29: Contrary to our report on Saturday, US commentator Paul Harvey is not going to be off air until September 10 but will be back at the microphone today according to R&R.
The publications says that, according to ABC News Radio VP Chris Berry, the doctors who examined Harvey on Monday cancelled further procedures because his voice is strengthening quickly.
R& R says that Harvey will host the morning newscast and The Rest of the Story today and, if all goes smoothly, should be back anchoring his midday newscast soon, perhaps as early as next week.
Previous Harvey:
R&R web site:

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2001-08-29: Two tales today of what could well be termed public interest radio albeit neither station involved is exactly heading the ratings for the numbers interested.
The first, in New York City, is WNYE-FM, which currently airs educational and ethnic programming but is under threat because owner, the New York City Board of Education, says it wants to quit managing the station.
Schools Chancellor Harold O. Levy, reports the New York Times, has proposed turning it over to a public broadcaster, WNYC, and changing the programming to feature classical music and school-curriculum shows.
It adds that, in response, "To-the-barricades advertisements are appearing in the region's ethnic newspapers."
"In recent weeks, a total of 3,800 letters and e- mail messages protesting the possible change have been received in the office of Ninfa Segarra, the board president. Swarms of additional petitions are being circulated in churches and civic centres and on Web sites."
Among the programmes listed by the Times are such gems as "Ukrainian Melody," "The Croatian Radio Half-Hour," "Haitian Perspective," "Cosmos FM Greek Radio," the Polish "Radio Most," and news from Radio France International, which the paper says are to many of their listeners, "lifelines to their homelands."
WNYE- FM was founded in 1938 and in the late 1970's began leasing its airtime to ethnic- program producers during the city's fiscal crisis.
Last November, Chancellor Levy announced his intention to turn over the operation of the board's radio and television stations to WNYC and to WNET, Channel 13, arguing that they could run the stations more effectively and improve their programming.
He contended that nobody listened to the radio station, and that he intended to increase its audience and upgrade its educational content.
Certainly the station is low in the ratings; recent Arbitron figures show a weekly audience of 80,300, compared with 512,200 for WNYC-FM, half of whose output is classical music.
Foreign language programming is under a quarter of its output, much of the rest being educational, but accounts for more than 70 percent of an annual budget of more than $800,000.
Ethnic producers say that ratings services have consistently undercounted foreign-language listeners.
Trevor Wilkins, who produces a Caribbean show on WNYE, said that feedback to his show indicated that it reached 150,000 Haitians, Jamaicans, Trinidadians, Grenadians, Barbadians, Bahamians and Antiguans in the New York region.
Elena Maroulleti, executive producer of Aktina FM, a bilingual Cypriot Greek show, estimated that 500,000 members of the metropolitan region's Greek and Cypriot communities listen regularly to WNYE- FM's Greek-language programs. "We have nothing against classical music, but WNYE is the only station in America that offers such a diversity of foreign programming," she said.
The other station is in Sydney, Australia, where 2RPH, the city's only radio station for the print handicapped, is featured in a Sydney Morning Herald report.
2RPH is among 207 radio stations and five television stations which broadcast to indigenous, ethnic and remote communities stations for whom the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia has just launched its funding submission for the next three years.
2RPH is run on volunteers and it's annual budget is Aus$160,000 (around USD 80,000).
It began 19 years ago in a council's chambers but is now run out of a studio and is one of ten such stations in the country.
Overall the Australian Community broadcasting sector has grown by around 60% over the past five years and the Community Broadcasting Association is seeking an increase in funding from Aus$5.4 million a year to $12.7 million to fund expansion, training and updating technology to digital.
New York Times report:
Sydney Morning Herald report:

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2001-08-29: Yet another substantial jump in Internet listening has been reported by Measurecast whose Internet Radio Index now stands at 229 compared with a base of 100 at the start of this year.
The organisation reports that of its top 25 stations ranked by Total Time Spent Listening (TTSL), 16 reported increases during the week to August 26 and 17 enjoyed an increase in audience size.
At the very top, the rankings by TTSL were again static: The top 5 individual stations ranked by Total Time Spent Listening (TTSL) were (with previous week's TTSL and Cume persons (CP), a measure of the cumulative audience, in brackets):
1): Listener Formatted MediaAmazing TTSL 132623 (128194); CP 38950 (35565) - Position unchanged, listening up but still less than a fortnight ago.
2): Adult Alternative Virgin Radio TTSL 119975 (107372); CP 21274 (16346) - Position unchanged, listening up substantially.
3): Sports-talk ESPN Radio TTSL 97351 (106959); CP 14462 (16150) - Position unchanged, listening down.
4): Internet only Classic Rock Radio Margaritaville TTSL 73420 (61,332); CP 10,572 (10,168) - Position unchanged, listening up.
5): Classic Rock WFXZ-FM TTSL 47,776 (53618) CP 6,693 (6841) - Position unchanged, listening down.
Previous MeasureCast ratings:
MeasureCast web site:

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2001-08-28: US radio giant Clear Channel has now announced its expected re-organisation, which will involve operations in eight geographic regions, each under the leadership of a senior vice president (SVP).
The geographic divisions are in turn divided into "trading areas" under a regional vice president, reporting to the divisional SVP, who manages a larger market and oversees a group of smaller adjacent markets.
Announcing the changes, Clear Channel Radio President and Chief Operating Officer John Hogan said, "We believe this structure is the most effective way to maximize the synergy of our unique 50-state reach for our customers, our listeners and our operations."
"No one in the industry has…nor can anyone duplicate…the national footprint Clear Channel Radio has assembled."
"This geographic alignment links every Clear Channel market so we can more efficiently operate and sell our radio stations, while reinforcing our commitment to local radio."
The company's statement is explicit in the aims behind the re-organisation, saying, "The new organizational structure was crafted to support the radio company's vision of super-serving its advertising customers."
"That vision packages radio stations, market clusters and geographic regions along the same lines as advertisers' trade areas."
"By assembling responsibilities along geographic lines, Clear Channel Radio enhances its ability to deliver customized, regional packages uniquely designed to reach an advertiser's targeted market."
"To help execute these regional sales opportunities, Clear Channel Radio recently announced it is adding 500 new account executives company wide by October 1."
The 8 SVPs are:
Northeast - Rob Williams, SVP, promoted from Market Manager of Clear Channel Radio's Philadelphia cluster:
Mid Atlantic - Jim Shea, currently SVP:
Southeast - Peter Ferrara, currently SVP:
Midwest - Dave Crowl, currently SVP:
Plains/Northwest - Jay Meyers, currently SVP:
Southwest - JD Freeman, SVP, promoted from Market Manager of the Phoenix cluster: Southwest/Central - John Cullen, SVP, currently President, Clear Channel International:
West Coast - Jim Donahoe, currently SVP.
In addition to the above, Hogan is to take charge of the New York and Los Angeles markets.
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Hogan:
Clear Channel statement.

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2001-08-28: Commissioner Gloria Tristani has announced that she will leave the Federal Communications Commission on September 7 after almost four years as a Commissioner.
She was appointed by President Clinton and took office in November 1997 along with then Commissioner Michael Powell who now chairs the Commission.
He has thanked her for "her outstanding contribution to the Commission over the last four years."
Tristani is returning to New Mexico where she is to mount a bid to win New Mexico's Democratic primary and then stand against the current Republican Senator for New Mexico, Pete Domenici, in 2002.
Previous FCC:
Previous Powell:
Previous Tristani:
Powell statement:
Tristani statement:

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2001-08-27: This week, various articles in US papers pointed us towards considering the questions of power, its use, or abuse, in US radio circles, and what we would consider an appropriate legal or regulatory framework in which to make judgements.
First of all, the general question of how far a large company can legitimately use its immense power and in US radio circles this pretty well has to bring in Clear Channel, which now owns some 1200 stations.
In the Washington Post, Frank Ahrens reports on a particular incident involving the multi-headed giant and a competitor station, in this case Bonneville-owned Washington Top 40 station Z104.
Its general manager Mark O'Brien bought, as part of a promotional contest, some $3000 worth of tickets to the annual Wango Tango concert that is held at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
All straightforward - the tickets were paid for and the station started its promotion with the intention of flying some 30 people to the concert.
In less than two days, O'Brien received a call from a Beverley Hills lawyer.
He asked why the promotion was still continuing; it turned out he had faxed a letter to the Z104 request line saying the name Wango Tango was "service marked" and that since Clear Channel owned the company putting on the concert (formerly SFX Entertainment), only Clear Channel stations were allowed to promote the show or give away tickets to it.
Z104, he said, must stop or be sued and within two days the suit, Clear Channel v. Bonneville, was filed in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.
Bonneville tried negotiating, asking if the tickets could still be given as prizes but the name not mentioned, only to be told that all tickets were non-transferable.
In the end it had to settle for returning the tickets and getting its money back. Bonneville said its lawyers thought they could have won Clear Channel's suit, but they chose, as a small company, not to get into a fight.
Clear Channel's response? "There's no question that we play tough," says Pam Taylor, spokeswoman for Clear Channel Radio.
"We're a strong competitor. But we play by the rules and we play fair. We're big, and that angers people. So be it. Talk to Wal-Mart; they've dealt with that for years."
RNW comment: From our perspective the Clear Channel response is intellectually challenged and the response that of a bully.
We fear they would almost certainly get away with much of what they are doing (see RNW Aug 9 regarding a law suit against the giant by a Denver promoter claiming they have abused their position).
he case to us is one where, as a matter of public principle, legal authorities, not weak companies, should automatically examine such reports to determine if there is a case to be answered.
Otherwise more and more pushes will be made by giant companies to the detriment of smaller competitors and ultimately of the public as US anti-Trust law has recognised in the past.
Our view on such matters is straightforward-if it found that there has been abuse by a "monopolistic" company of its strength in the market, penalties should be automatic and severe with the intent not of applying them but of deterring companies whose lawyers and accountants will take them as far as they think it commercially worthwhile.
In a case of this nature, the obvious ultimate penalty would be to give Clear Channel a month after any judgement of gross abuse to divest itself of SFX -to the highest bidder, even if the bid be of a dollar.
Won't happen but concertgoers, musicians and pretty well everyone but Clear Channel would benefit in the long run if the fear of such action were in corporate minds!
It wouldn't stop the giants having an advantage but it would restrain abuses of power.
On now to another case where there may have been some rather dumb action in Boston where, according to a report by Dean Johnson in the Boston Herald, syndicated shock-jocks Opie and Anthony (Gregg Hughes and Anthony Cumia)and had begun their return to the Boston airwaves by promising to make life miserable for former employer and rival rock station WAAF-FM.
They apparently made good on it by instructing employees of current outlet, WCBN-FM, to disrupt a WAAF blood drive at Natick's Crowne Plaza Hotel on Monday.
That prank led to an incident that Natick police Lt. Nicholas Mabardy said will likely result in assault and battery charges against a ``WBCN-affiliated person'' who allegedly assaulted WAAF disc jockey Matty Blake at about 5 p.m.
The WCBN employees had left before police arrived but apparently photographs were taken of the incident, which Mabardy said are likely to lead to identification of individuals involved.
If police file a complaint, Blake has to decide if he wants to press charges.
RNW comment: Another case here where European attitudes to legal action differ from those of the US.
To us, if an incident was clearly illegal and there is evidence, it is a matter of public interest not individual action that should determine the future of charges.
And if there is clear evidence that actions were ordered by individuals who were not present at the scene of the crime, the responsibility of those ordering the action is equivalent to that of a Mafia "godfather" directing a criminal action.
In yet another case, that of a lawsuit against Chicago shock-jock Erich "Mancow" Muller by Janet Dahl, wife of another Chicago host Steve Dahl, Robert Feder in the Sun Times says that the settlement of the case is reported to have cost Muller and his station -" or, more correctly, their insurance company" more than a million dollars.
Feder reflects on the fact that Janet Dahl said the issue was not money but protecting her "good name".
He concludes, "Without a retraction, apology or even a precise disclosure of the settlement terms, it's tough to see how the outcome helps restore Janet Dahl's good name, her avowed motivation for the suit."
"But let's not be too judgmental here. Perhaps she plans to donate the money to a worthier cause than her lawyers and her personal bank account."
RNW comment: one here, where we generally think US law generally preferable to its European counterparts, particularly the libel laws of the UK.
And if it's not about money (which in public interest terms the remedy to libel cannot be), financial penalties are surely inappropriate as such.
On the other hand sentencing "Mancow" to a month of one hour daily reads of a statement dictated by Janet Dahl at times selected by her and further declaring him and his company ineligible to sue over any content or challenge it on any other basis than demonstrable untruths would surely be a pretty good deterrent to future lewd remarks by Mancow against individuals.
And, as any such sentence would only follow breaches of US libel law, it would not be too restrictive of responsible freedom of speech unlike the case in the UK.
Previous Ahrens:
Previous Bonneville:
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Columnists:
Previous Dahl:
Previous Feder:
Previous Johnson:
Previous Muller:
Previous Opie and Anthony:
Boston Herald - Johnson:
Chicago Sun Times - Feder:
Washington Post - Ahrens:

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2001-08-27: A shake-up in Sydney talk radio that could see top-rated breakfast host Alan Jones leaving 2UE for the Macquarie Network's struggling 2GB may be on the cards according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
The paper reports that talk of his likely departure from 2UE has grown from his refusal so far to negotiate a new contract with 2UE and that his colleagues expect him to move by the end of the year.
Although 2GB executives have denied that they are talking to Jones or his agent, the paper says a senior source at the Macquarie Network said they were hoping Jones would be in the breakfast slot at 2GB next year but starting slightly later.
The paper also reports speculation that Jones and former Australia Nine Network boss and BskyB satellite network chief Sam Chisholm may buy significant equity holdings in Harbor Radio, which controls the Macquarie Network's two stations, 2GB and 2CH.
Also tipped to move over to 2GB is sports commentator Ray Hadley, who has rejected 2UE's latest offer to stay at the station next year.
If Jones does move, there are suggestions current breakfast host Philip Clark - who joined the station this year from the ABC - would move to the drive shift held by former Federal Labor minister Graham Richardson.
2UE's morning presenter, John Laws, who has recently re-signed for another five years, currently benefits from a significant listener handover from Jones and the paper quotes a well-placed source as saying, "John Singleton (2GB owner) knows it's his one and only chance to make an inroad into 2UE's market dominance. Its not just about 2GB succeeding, but about breaking 2UE's stranglehold on the market."
2UE was bought by Southern Cross Broadcasting as part of its acquisition of the Lamb family's radio interests in an Aus$90 million deal in March (See RNW March 23).
The Jones/Laws duo were estimated to bring in around 70% of 2UE's advertising revenue.
Previous 2UE:
Previous Hadley:
Previous Jones:
Previous Laws:
Previous Macquarie:
Previous Richardson:
Previous Singleton:
Previous Southern Cross:
Sydney Morning Herald report:

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2001-08-26: The UK was fairly busy with licence activity this week but it was quiet elsewhere.
In Australia there was nothing on the radio front.~
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has been involved in a few routine renewals and has also approved Astral Media's take over of Quebec stations CHRD-FM Drummondville and CFEI-FM Saint-Hyacinthe, which have overall been unprofitable in the past three years.
The Commission considered concern about the concentration of radio ownership in Quebec but concluded that the deal was allowable within its rules and could ensure the long-term viability of the stations.
The commission has also approved a new French-language FM station at Winnipeg, Manitoba, to broadcast programming from the CBC's network service La Chaîne culturelle complemented by about 20 minutes per week of local programming.
It has has renewed the licence of ethnic station CHKG-FM Vancouver and of CKCX Sackville, New Brunswick, which rebroadcasts the programs of Radio Canada International and CBC North Québec, and also receives access programming from the James Bay Cree Communications Society and Taqramiut Nipingat Inc., the Inuit communications society of the Nunavik region of northern Quebec.
There was nothing of note in Ireland, but in the UK the Radio Authority has been fairly busy.
In Kent, it has asked for public interest comment on the acquisition by the Kent Messenger newspaper group of the Canterbury local radio station CTFM and in Sunderland, it has announced that only the existing holder, Sun FM, has applied for the Sunderland licence and that this will not be handled under its fast track procedure.
The authority has also renewed for 8 years the Gloucester area AM and FM licences of existing holders Classic Gold Digital Ltd., broadcasting as Classic Gold 774 and Cotswold Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the GWR Group plc), broadcasting as Severn Sound.
No competing applications had been received for either licence.
It has also renewed for the same period the Greater London AM licence held by Country 1035 Ltd., broadcasting as Ritz 1035, on the basis that the company will be providing a service on the third London digital multiplex.
On the digital front, the Authority has advertised the Leicester digital multiplex and has awarded the Bradford & Huddersfield digital multiplex to the sole applicant, the Wireless Group's TWG Digital.
As well as carrying BBC Radio Leeds, TWG is proposing seven commercial services.
These are:
Current chart hits - The Pulse (provider: The Wireless Group plc):
Classic pop hits - Big AM (provider: The Wireless Group plc):
Asian - Sunrise FM (provider: Sunrise Radio Ltd.):
60s, 70s, 80s Adult contemporary - Provider: to be advertised:
Music from films and shows - Flix (provider: Infinity Media Ltd.):
Young Asian - Provider: Asian Sound Ltd.:
Club and pop dance - Kiss (provider: Emap Performance Ltd.)
The US has been fairly quiet but the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has red-flagged a number of deals, primarily in terms of concentration of ownership (See RNW Aug 24).
Previous Astral:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous UK Radio Authority:
Previous Licence News:
CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
UK Radio Authority web site:

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2001-08-26: A Birmingham, UK radio stunt that went badly wrong has been getting a run in most UK newspapers.
The Capital Radio-owned station had heard of a New Zealand competition in which contestants sat on dry ice and staged a road show competition to see who could sit on dry ice the longest to win tickets to introduce an act at Monday's Party in the Park event, featuring Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell and Steps.
Station spokesman, Mike Owen, said, "We took medical advice and had help in attendance."
Fortunately for the station all four contestants involved had signed disclaimers as all four needed hospital treatment for burns from the ice (temperature around minus 80 Centigrade).
One girl's legs, thighs and lower back were blackened by the ice, and a 12-years-old boy suffered burns to his buttocks.
The station stopped the contest after an hour when the contestants complained of pain; all were taken to hospital and three then transferred to a special burns unit.
Owen said all the contestants were to be VIP guests at Monday's Capital FM's Party in the Park in London.
Previous Capital:
UK Guardian report:

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2001-08-25: Veteran ABC Radio News commentator, Chicago-based Paul Harvey who only returned to the airwaves on Monday after a virus affected his vocal chords, is going off the air again.
He said in his Friday broadcast that he is scheduled for further outpatient treatment next week that the doctors say will improve his voice quality.
He is expected back on air on September 10:.
There was worse news from ABC for another Chicago veteran.
Kevin Matthews and his morning show colleagues who were fired on Wednesday by ABC-owned WZZN-FM. His show has fared badly and was 22nd overall in the in the latest ratings.
Reporting on the firing, Robert Feder in the Chicago Sun Times, quotes WZZN program director Bill Gamble as saying, "As we continue to listen to the audience and move 'The Zone' in a more music-intensive, contemporary direction focusing on the '80s, '90s and today, it has become apparent that the very essence of Kevin's talk-based show has been lost."
Matthews joined the ABC station in September 1998 when it was classic rocker "CD 94.7." It abruptly switched to an '80s format as "The Zone" last November.
Previous Feder:
Previous Harvey:
Sun Times report:

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2001-08-25: Sirius Satellite Radio has announced an agreement with BMW, North America, to offer its service in selected new BMW's from the second quarter of next year.
BMW will offer Sirius radios as an accessory in its 3 series, 5 series and X5 vehicles.
Other auto deals with Sirius include Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Volvo and Jeep whilst rival XM's investors include General Motors and American Honda Motor Co. Inc.
Previous Sirius:
Previous XM:
Sirius Web site:
XM Web site:
(RNW note- both of these sites offer sample programming):

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2001-08-25: Judge Debra Behnke, who was to have heard the felony animal cruelty charges against Florida host Bubba the Love Sponge and three other defendants following the February castration and slaughter of a wild boar in the car park of Clear Channel's WXTB-FM. Tampa, has removed herself from the case after Bubba's attorney filed a motion because of her liking for pigs. The slaughter led to a number of advertisers pulling spots from the station (See RNW Mar 18).
According to the St Petersburg Times, the motion by attorney Norman Cannella says that the judge wears pig earrings, collects pig trinkets and has a "strong affinity" for pigs and would be biased in case. The newspaper says that Florida law says a judge must grant a defendant's first request that a judge be disqualified, whether the accusations are true or not. Behnke told the paper she found the motion "hilarious", commenting, "I have an affinity for lots of things. I love children, too, and nobody has asked me to disqualify myself from abuse and neglect cases."
Previous Bubba:

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2001-08-25: US host Art Bell's "Coast to Coast AM" is to get a test run in the UK on Sunday.
His show wiill air from 0100 to 0500 local (midnight to 0400 GMT) on LBC in London.
It is not getting much of a mention on the station's web site, which just carries a note about the show on its bulletin board compared to a note on Bell's own site asking for people to spread the word.
Previous Art Bell:
Art Bell web site:
LBC web site:

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2001-08-24: Responding to the US National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) petition against terrestrial repeaters for Satellite Digital Audio Radio Services (RNW Aug 23), both Sirius and XM Satellite Radio have dismissed NAB's main objections.
Sirius said it had no plans to originate local programming from the repeaters and had been consistent about this since receiving its satellite radio licence in 1997.
XM's response was less direct as it emphasised that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had always understood that the terrestrial system was an "integral and fundamental" component of their service.
It said it was confident its repeaters would be approved but not that this would come in time for its|September 12 commercial launch.
On the programming side, Sirius has announced that it is to broadcast comedy programming from National Lampoon.
This will include new material and shows from National Lampoon's archive.
Previous FCC:
Previous NAB:
Previous Sirius:
Previous XM:
Sirius Web site:
XM Web site:
(RNW note- both of these sites offer sample programming):

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2001-08-24: Former UK breakfast host Chris Evans' agent has signed a deal with Scottish Media Group (SMG), the company that bought his Ginger Media Group including Virgin Radio for £225 million last year (see RNW Jan 13, 2000) and fired him from the Virgin Breakfast show at the end of June this year (See RNW June 29).
The deal, reported by the UK Guardian, is a non-exclusive two-year agreement with SMG TV Productions to develop drama and entertainment shows but, SMG told the paper, there are no plants at the moment for any project involving Evans.
Previous Evans:
Previous SMG:
UK Guardian report:

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2001-08-24: If all current deals go through, US radio giant Clear Channel will top the 1200 station mark with its latest deal, the $2 million purchase of WAAM-AM, Ann Arbor, Michigan, from Whitehall Enterprises.
The deal would give Clear Channel five stations in the area.
Clear Channel is also buying in New York State with the $4.3 million acquisition of WHUC-AM and FM, Hudson, and WCKL-FM and WCTW-FM, Catskill, from Concord Media.
Some of its deals, however, have attracted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) attention.
The Commission has red-flagged two Texas deals, the purchase of KLFX-FM in Killeen-Temple and KTFA-FM in Beaumont-Port Arthur, as well as the acquisition of WBRJ-AM in Marietta, Ohio.
The FCC has also red-flagged a Cumulus deal to another Beaumont-Port Arthur deal; Cumulus's purchase of KLOI-FM from Hilco Communications on the basis of concentration of ownership and revenue-share issues.
In other US deals, Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation has announced a $16 million cash deal to buy KPXC-FM licensed to Indian Springs, Nevada. The station is currently a 100 watt Class A but it has a construction permit to upgrade to Class c and 100 KW.
Hispanic says that expects the deal to close in the first quarter of next year after which it will convert the station to a Hispanic-targeted format.
It also says that it anticipates operating losses in its first year of operating the station.
Hispanic already owns an FM and an AM in Las Vegas, some 40 miles away.
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Concord:
Previus Cumulus:
Previous FCC:
Previous Hispanic Broadcasting:

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2001-08-23: Requests by Sirius and XM Satellite radio for terrestrial repeater stations for their Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service ("SDARS") have come under attack from the US National Association of Broadcasters in a filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
It asks for their numbers to be capped, their use to be subject to mandatory restrictions, and the requests " denied because deployment of a terrestrial-based, satellite-supplemented radio service is contrary to the Commission's goal of creating a new satellite radio service and thus, would not serve the public interest."
In the filing, NAB says that terrestrial repeaters should be used only to reach areas where a satellite signal cannot reach: it continues, "One of the main arguments that NAB has made against the use of terrestrial repeaters is that repeaters are simply a crutch for a technology that is not up to the task of providing the seamless, mobile coverage promised by its proponents and desired by the Commission, especially in cities where numerous "urban canyons" exist."
"And as evidenced by the Requests, XM and Sirius' repeaters networks, by their sheer numbers and power levels, appear to be designed to blanket metropolitan areas, not fill-in isolated gaps in coverage……In the absence of service rules for use of terrestrial repeaters, it appears that XM and Sirius are relying on the FCC's granting them temporary authorization in order to commence commercial operation of a largely terrestrial radio service."
NAB then says the Commission should require the satellite companies to show their "need" for such a large number of repeaters.
Later, getting to what RNW sees as the nub of the filing says," the extensive repeater networks proposed by the SDARS license holders represent a disturbing and serious potential threat to radio broadcasters service."
"Simply stated, the extensive terrestrial digital radio networks have the potential to operate totally divorced of the satellite transmission systems that they supposedly complement…the SDARS licensees have proposed service rules, which would allow local origination or insertion of locally-targeted programming."
The FCC, NAB says, should ensure that the repeaters "are used only to retransmit the complete signal from the primary station, intended for the consumer satellite receivers, at the time it is transmitted……NAB has always maintained that SDARS terrestrial repeaters must be explicitly prohibited from transmitting any locally originated programming, lest SDARS become, to any extent, a terrestrial-fed network."
Having also demonstrated ways by which under current rules the satellite broadcasters could store local adverts for transmission by their terrestrial repeaters, NAB then attaches to its submission a recent study by the media research firm, Eastlan Resources that says that 80% of Americans have no interest in subscribing to commercial-free satellite radio services and estimates a maximum take-up of around 5%.
NAB President and CEO Eddie Fritts commented." "If XM and Sirius want to provide traditional over-the-air radio service, they should apply for over-the-air licenses like everyone else."
"Otherwise, they are making a mockery of FCC rules and regulations."
"The time for subterfuge by XM Radio and Sirius Radio is over. These companies must come clean with regulators and the American people on their true intentions for making satellite radio a viable business."
In their applications so far, XM, which is to deploy two satellites, and Sirius, which is to deploy three satellites, respectively request authority to deploy 778 and 151 terrestrial repeaters each operating above 2 kW effective radiated power.
RNW comment: As with its opposition to Low Power FM, the NAB seems to us to be in the grip of fears about any development that could in any way take away audience or income from current broadcasters.
In this case, Fritts and the NAB make some valid points but, as seems to be their wont, then go over the top.
Our problem is that without full facts, a sensible judgement is not possible and we don't have that much faith that either NAB or the satellite companies will try to be unbiased in terms of the engineering, never mind the economics, of satellite radio plans.
The public interest would seem to require a strong FCC able to deploy sufficient technical expertise and regulatory clout to get at the facts
We note here, however, that even when the FCC did seem to make a strong case in technical terms for LPFM, the NAB response was to fight it by political lobbying rather than on the technical grounds.
Previous FCC:
Previous Fritts:
Previous NAB:
Previous Sirius:
Previous XM:
NAB web site:
NAB submission (56kb PDF):

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2001-08-23: The management of US public radio network Pacifica has hired a public relations company Westhill Public Affairs to spearhead its fight against protestors who claim that changes at the company conflict with the company's aims.
It is also hiring lawyers from the firm of firm of Williams & Connolly to fight actions by the protestors and former employees.
Four lawsuits challenging the Pacifica Board's legitimacy are due to go to trial next year and the judge overseeing them required Pacifica to give him a month's notice before appointing new board members.
He insisted on this when Pacifica tried to speed up the appointment of five new directors.
Pacifica now hopes to fill the vacant slots at a board meeting in September; the activists want things put on hold until after the trial has ended.
Pacifica's executive director and former general manager of WPFW, Bessie Wash, has recruited some high-profile candidates for the company's board to fill the board slots left vacant including former Washington mayor Marion Barry and activist Dick Gregory.
Among the board members who resigned was Karolyn Van Putten, who says activists went to conferences she attended and interfered with meetings to hand out statements of protest and demand her resignation.
Protestors' tactics include singling out board members who promote Pacifica's mission and blitzing them with thousands of faxes, phone calls and e-mails.
The activists originally focused their protests on Pacifica's board meetings and stations but now they follow board members to their homes and workplaces, even pressuring their bosses and co-workers.
The developments have been reported in the Washington Post and Current magazine from different angles.
The former looks primarily at he story from a DC angle, noting that Pacifica's Washington station WPFW-FM is the lowest rated of the three big Washington public radio stations, behind WAMA and WETA; it also notes that a major WPFW donation is $500 compared to $25000 at WEMA.
Wash told the paper that the managements gaol of the five-station network was to increase its listenership, adding, "We cannot be viable and survive if we don't increase listenership."
In Current magazine, more space is given to the protestors of Pacifica Campaign, a New York based group coordinating protests around the country, to dismantle Pacifica's board and discourage listener contributions. It is led by Juan Gonzalez, who quit his job as co-host of Pacifica's Democracy Now! following the Pacifica dispute at WBAI-FM, New York.
The protestors object to management decisions including centralization of control and moves to increase audience which the protesters fear will lead to a dilution of its left-wing political stance.
The magazine quotes Pacifica historian Matthew Lasar, who has often criticized management, as saying, "It's clear that attempting to reform this organization using traditional command and control, top-down methods has utterly failed."
"We have to step back and question whether making the board self-appointing did anything but de-legitimise it. I think that's all it did."
Previous Gonzalez:
Previous Pacifica:
Previous Wash:
Current Magazine report; Washington Post report:

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2001-08-22: Quite a few radio deals in the US for a mid-week roundup: and yet again giant Clear Channel is in the action.
In Texas it has paid $4.5 million to add Beaumont Contemporary Christian outlet KTFA-FM to the AM and three FM's it already has in the market
In New York state, Telemedia is getting $7 million for four stations in the Albany area: WCPT-FM, Albany and WKBE-FM, Warrensburg, are being bought by Pamal Broadcasting, which already has two AMs and four FMs in the area.
The other stations, WABY-AM, Albany and WKLI-FM, Ravena, will go to Galaxy Communications, which has New York state clusters in Syracuse and Utica.
In the public radio field, the Baltimore Sun reports that John Hopkins University has granted Maryland Public Radio Corp. a month to organise financing and fine-tune its deal to take over WJHU-FM.
The group, led by WJHU host Marc Steiner, had already been given a week's extension on August 13.
The university will consider no other bids during the period. Steiner said that Maryland Public Radio has been working to secure bank loans that would be guaranteed by prominent individuals.
Speculation is that the sale price will be around $5million and the Steiner group then hope to raise a further $1.5 million for improvements to the station.
Among details to be finalised are issues such as station personnel, facilities and the organisation of the ownership transition.
A university spokesman told the Sun "There are some important details to be worked out, but they are only details. They are not the basics of the deal by any means."
And still in the area of public radio and money, a note, courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle, concerning the plight of KUSF-FM, the free- form college station, which has broadcast from the Jesuit-run University of San Francisco since 1977.
The station also broadcasts community services in 11 languages but has been down to a 50-watt signal instead of its normal 3000 watts since July 21. The problem was its aging transmitter, which suffered a meltdown during a rolling blackout in May; it was repaired but gave up the ghost on July 21.
A new transmitter will cost $50,000 and this is leading the station, for the first time in its history, to organise a pledge drive.
"We've always deplored begging on the air," KUSF program director Lisa Yimm, one of the volunteer-run station's few salaried staff members, told the paper.
"But if ever a station had a reason to beg, we do. The dream is to buy a new transmitter. But we'd be happy to just raise enough funds to order parts, rebuild the power supply and get this one working again."
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous WJHU:
Baltimore Sun report:
San Francisco Chronicle on KUSF:

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2001-08-22: A week of returns to the airwaves in the US with Paul Harvey back with his morning programme "Paul Harvey News and Comment"; Christopher Lydon, former host of the WBUR-FM public broadcasting show, "The Connection" making a commercial radio debut on WTKK-FM; and Gordon Liddy back on the Washington airwaves at Clear Channel's WTNT-AM following a two-week hiatus after he was ousted from Infinity's WJFK-FM as part of a reorganisation (See RNW July 22).
82-year old Harvey, who went off the air in mid-May as a result of a virus infection which he thought at first was laryngitis (See RNW May 12) has only made one broadcast since then (See RNW Aug 10.).
He sounded a little hoarse as he began his Monday broadcast with his trademark ``Good Morning, Americans''; later he perked up and near the end broke into song with the words "It's been a long winter without you. It's been a long winter without you" to the tune of Blue Christmas.
Harvey is only taking to the air with his morning show and daily "Rest of the Story'' for a few weeks as he continues to recover; guest hosts are presenting his 15-minute midday show.
In Boston, Lydon, who is substituting for Jay Severin for two weeks for two weeks, talked about radio on his first show but kept the button-pushers busy beeping out his mentions of well known broadcasters on other channels.
And in DC, Liddy returned to the airwaves at WTNT-AM with no word still out about any deal to continue with Infinity-controlled Westwood One which syndicates his show. His current contract has six months left to run.
Also back on air were Atlanta WKLS-FM morning duo Larry Wachs and Eric Von Haessler, whose "Regular Guys" morning show was cut off early last Friday during a remote in a bar whose owner reacted strongly after a listener's complaint led to police turning up at the venue.
The item complained about involved the duo giving Madonna tickets to a gay man who would have to have sex with a woman and also prove that he was gay.
An investigation by station owners Clear Channel, who took the show off air on Monday, came to the conclusion that the pair had gone "to the line " but not crossed it.
Previous Harvey:
Previous Liddy:
Previous Lydon:
Previous Westwood One:

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2001-08-22: Another jump in Internet listening has taken MeasureCast's Internet Radio Index, which was set at 100 at the start of this year, to 215 in the week to August 19.
MeasureCast says that the top five Internet radio networks it measures streamed 62,551 more hours than in the week to August 12.
The top five networks, ranked by total time spent listening (TTSL) for the week were
1: WarpRadio.com TTSL 412,325.
2: SurferNETWORK.com, TTSL 304,863.
3:CableMusic.com TTSL 225,856
4:MEDIAmazing.com TTSL 128,194.
5:Virgin Radio TTSL of 127,735.
Of these MediaAmazing and Virgin numbers are for individual stations, keeping them both up at the top in the individual station's rankings.
The top 5 individual stations ranked by Total Time Spent Listening (TTSL) were the same as last week.
They are (with previous week's TTSL and Cume persons (CP), a measure of the cumulative audience, in brackets):
1): Listener Formatted MediaAmazing TTSL 128194 (141,695); CP 35565 (41,581) - Position unchanged, listening down again.
2): Adult Alternative Virgin Radio TTSL 107372 (109,799); CP 16346 (13,625) - Position unchanged, listening down.
3): Sports-talk ESPN Radio TTSL 106959 (84,965); CP 16150 (13,240) - Position unchanged, listening up.
4): Internet only Classic Rock Radio Margaritaville TTSL 61,332 (72,356); CP 10,168 (10,463) - Position unchanged, listening down.
5): Classic Rock WFXZ-FM TTSL 53618 (49,752) CP 6841 (7,108) - Position unchanged, listening up.
Previous MeasureCast ratings:
MeasureCast web site:

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